


Dark Side

by KurtsAnatomy (TheSwanOfWinterfell)



Category: Glee, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Evil Kurt, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-05
Updated: 2018-03-24
Packaged: 2018-05-18 07:43:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5907478
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSwanOfWinterfell/pseuds/KurtsAnatomy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Kurt is chosen for the Super Soldier initiative, his friends beg him not to do it. When it goes wrong, his mind mutates and he becomes somebody he never thought he would be: A villain. Dead set on global destruction, he doesn’t count on the Avengers trying to defeat him. He definitely doesn’t count on his heart binding him to one of them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Start Me Up

They had all warned him not to do it.

Well, Brittany had simply said that she would hate it if he drifted off into outer space like George Clooney, but Kurt wasn’t entirely sure that she understood what exactly it was that he was doing.

When he thought really hard about it, neither did he.

Kurt Hummel was not anybody’s definition of spontaneous. The boy planned everything down to the last intricate detail. It was part of what made him such a technically perfect singer. While he boiled it down to good sense, others found it rather annoying. Mercedes, for one, would constantly gripe about his obsessiveness and cajole him for his lack of adventurousness. Kurt didn’t mind it too much; he knew how it could sometimes irk others how detailed everything he did needed to be. He constantly overstepped word limits in his homework assignments and always went the extra mile to make sure that everything was perfect in everything he did.

That was why it was so difficult for his friends to understand that he was going through with such a preposterous endeavour.

Rachel was the first to point out the drawbacks. “Kurt, what if it affects your singing voice? We need you for Regionals!”

“To mindlessly harmonise in the background while you sing the solo? You don’t need me for that. What else have you got?” Kurt put his hands on his hips as the New Directions wagged their fingers and furrowed their eyebrows at him. He was ready for the onslaught of criticism for his latest choice, but nothing they said would change his mind.

The closest they came was when Sam worried about the risk factor of the actual procedure.

“I’ve read comic books, Kurt, and things often go wrong. Peter Parker never wanted the radioactivity!”

Kurt rolled his eyes. “But when he became Spiderman, he embraced it, didn’t he? And he used it to save other people! And if something goes wrong…I’ll worry about that then. Look, aren’t you all the ones telling me to be more spontaneous, to take more risks? Well, that is precisely what I’m doing and now you have a problem with it? I’m not sure how I can win here.

“Haven’t all of you thought about what it would be like if you were more than you are. If you were that person who could step in front of a train to save it from crashing. If you were that person who could race into burning buildings and save people from fires. Wouldn’t you reach out for that opportunity with both hands.”

“He’s got a point,” Puck chimed in, waving his hand lazily.

Kurt nodded to him neutrally and he got a nod back. That was about as close as the two would get. Mutual respect, and even that was fleeting.

“I say do whatever the hell you want, Rainbow Unicorn,” Santana shrugged. It didn’t really make a difference to her day whether Kurt went through with it or not.

Kurt tightened his hands on the strap of his bag and smiled at Santana, who wasn’t even looking at him anymore. “That settles it. I’ll see you all tomorrow. Unless I’ve died due to radiation poisoning…guys, that was a joke. They’ve assessed the possible risks. It’s going to be _fine_. When I come into Glee Club tomorrow, I will be wearing the clothes I came to school in, not the ones I stashed in my locker ready for the first of many slushy emergencies. I will not have a single bruise from locker shoves. I will not tolerate the bullying that has plagued me since the age of four. I’ll be turning my cell phone _off_ so I will not receive your last minute worries and queries about my procedure. Thank you and goodnight.” Kurt bowed his head and left the room, ready for the scheme that was about to change his entire life.

Right about now, you’re probably wondering what the hell Kurt had signed himself up for.

Dr. Cooper Anderson had selected him for the second ever Super Soldier trial.

The first had been done successfully in the 1940’s to an aspiring American soldier named Steve Rogers. The process had gone swimmingly, even though they first thought he might not make it. Next, they had found a way to enhance the initiative, tweaking the original design. Dr. Anderson had taken all of Dr. Abraham Erskine’s notes on the matter and created something ‘even more spectacular’ than he had.

His selection had been completely random, or so Kurt had thought. Apparently, Dr. Anderson had been scouting out potential test subjects in the area when an anonymous tip had led him straight to Kurt. When Kurt had protested his eligibility, Dr. Anderson had explained that the point of the initiative was not to enhance the already strong, it was to make the strongest hearts have an exterior that resembled who they were as a person. Kurt’s aura had been tested and his genetic makeup and environmental factors had been just what Cooper was looking for. He had given Kurt a few days to mull it over, with instructions to meet him at the Lima Bean after school on Friday to confirm his participation.

It was Friday and school had officially ended.

Kurt walked adamantly to his car, smirking at the thoughts of finally being able to show Karofsky just how much being kicked in the solar plexus really hurt. God, that would feel good, Kurt thought. Demonstrating what torment he had been made to endure, but without actually becoming a bully himself. That was his number one rule. He had to not let the power go to his head. Dr. Anderson rather thought he would be okay in that particular situation. His aura had tested well.

On the drive over to the Lima Bean, Kurt thought about the situation and how he had omitted it completely from his talks with Burt. He knew that Burt would try to stop him and that was something Kurt was not about to let happen. He had to decide this for himself and he knew that Burt’s influence was something that controlled him more than any serum would. Kurt figured that Burt would bring up his mother and that would be that. He envisioned the conversation.

_“Hey Dad, I’m getting injected with a serum that makes me a Super Soldier like Steve Rogers did in the 1940’s.”_

_“Kurt, what would your mother think if you wasted your life should something go wrong? She died against her will and you’re potentially giving up your existence to try and become a superhero.”_

Yeah, Kurt was _not_ telling his father anything. If he noticed something different after the process, Kurt would lie to his face. It was the only way to maintain his already fractured relationship with his father.

He parked his car and quickly hurried inside the coffee shop, seeing Cooper sat at a table by the window.

“I ordered you a non-fat mocha latte,” Cooper explained as Kurt sat down opposite it, “I remember you saying that it was your favourite.”

“Thank you, Cooper,” Kurt replied, sipping his drink casually, like the next twenty hours weren’t going to be the most transformative of his entire life. Literally. “How are you today?”

“Amped! It’s been so long since I started this journey. I started during my undergraduate degree at Cornell and it’s been going ever since. And now I’ve found you to undergo it. You’re pretty important in my life, Kurt. How are you feeling about this?”

“I would be lying if I said I wasn’t scared, but I’m more excited. I just want to be able to make a difference. I’m not sure if I’d like to become an Avenger, but I guess what happens to me is largely based on what happens during the process.”

Cooper put a hand over Kurt’s. “Don’t worry. Nothing is going to go wrong, I promise. You just have to do one thing and that’s keep going. Even if you want to give up, don’t. If you do, it won’t work and there may be lasting effects, as we’ve already been over. Do you have any actual questions about it?”

Kurt and Cooper talked about the project for another hour, finishing several more coffees before the time came that Kurt would have to strap himself into the contraption and undergo the enhancement.

Cooper stood up, leaving a generous tip for the waitress in his wake, smiling. “Are you ready?”

Kurt thought of several answers to this question.

The first was “Yes, of course I’m ready. The rest of my life starts right now. Thank you for choosing me for this.”

The second was “No, wait, I change my mind. There are too many risks. Sam was right, what if something goes wrong and I don’t survive it? I’m sorry for letting you down.”

The third was “Can we hold off a little longer? I need to talk to my dad some more about this before I decide anything.”

As Kurt saw it, there was only one plausible answer that he could follow up with.

“I’m ready.”


	2. Gap In The Chain

Kurt breathed in deeply as his hands were bound by the straps. Cooper had made a chamber of sorts for the process to take place and it looked about as scary as it possibly could have. He had insisted that everything necessary had been done to make the transformation as slick as humanly possible. Then Cooper had proceeded to laugh at his own joke. Kurt had let out a small chuckle, but it wasn’t anything too excessive. Nerves plus sensitivity equalled a very silent Kurt.

It was most definitely too late to back out. Not that Kurt wanted to, of course, but it was jarring to know that he no longer had the option to.

The straps tightened around his wrists and ankles, trapping him against the mechanism. For a project that was supposed to free him mentally, physically and emotionally, Kurt had never felt so restrained, both literally and figuratively. He stared at Cooper’s face as it lighted with glee and tried to take comfort in it. He was fulfilling somebody’s lifelong dream, that had to count for something. And he was becoming a better version of himself, which was an added bonus.

Cooper cleared his throat. “Now, Kurt, I’m going to need you to not move and not to try and speak, okay? Any movement you make could jeopardise the process.”

Kurt stared straight ahead at the wall, fighting his natural urges to respond or to nod his head.

“Good,” Cooper smiled and walked over to the assortment of switches and levers that had confused Kurt when he had seen them. He presumed that it was just a straightforward button press to commence the transformation, but it turned out that it was much more complex than Cooper had let on. All _Kurt_ had to do was stay immobile in the machine while Cooper did the rest. He trusted the scientist, he really did, but technology was known for going wrong. And this was highly intricate psychological and physiological manipulation. It basically spelled out an error code.

But nothing could deter Kurt now. His mind was in the zone and he was ready to become the person he had always felt that he should be. The one who would change lives and make differences, the life that he was born to lead. Cooper was making that happen and Kurt couldn’t have been more grateful to him. He wasn’t entirely sure what his frame would look like once the process was completed, but he was interested to find out. According to his knowledge, the frail Steve Rogers had filled out, muscles developing like he had never known them to. Kurt wasn’t sure if rippling muscles would suit him too much, as he was quite petite. He supposed that Steve was, too, and that he would grow into them. Resisting the urge to nod to himself, he felt hope swell within him as the whirring started.

Cooper rubbed his hands together, watching as the machine lit up, blue lights dotted around the metal, flashing at sporadic intervals. He saw the capsule enclose around Kurt and he smiled. He had picked correctly. Kurt had such a good, pure heart. It wouldn’t work properly if he didn’t.

Kurt clenched his teeth as everything tightened around him. The serum was injected into him and it was pure agony to say the least. All of his muscles were beginning to expand, painfully ripping him apart. It felt as though his bones were breaking, but he didn’t think that was what was happening. He twitched slightly at the pain, trying to remain immobile.

“Stay still, Kurt,” Cooper reminded. He didn’t like seeing Kurt in pain, but it was necessary. He knew the risks.

“We need to turn it off,” someone shouted.

“No!”

“Keep it going,” Kurt said through gritted teeth. He had come too far now to let go. That would turn out to be a decision he would be made to regret.

A jolt of red electricity sparked through the room, zipping around the capsule as it vibrated, Kurt still inside it.

“What’s happening?” Cooper said to nobody in particular.

“It’s…malfunctioning!”

“It can’t be,” Cooper groaned, “I designed it specifically fixing the flaws in Erskine’s original model.”

Before anybody could move, the electricity filled the capsule, setting Kurt’s body alight like it was on fire.

“Get me _out_ ,” he screeched as he realised that this was not supposed to be happening. Cooper said nothing about electricity hitting him, unless he purposely omitted it so that he would sign up. He didn’t think that Cooper would do something like that, though. He trusted the doctor enough to sign up for the project in the first place. He was currently trusting him with his life and…somehow, that was going wrong. Very wrong.

Cooper hit a series of buttons that would release Kurt, but nothing was working. He firmly pulled the emergency trigger to release Kurt from the capsule no matter what and to his relief it was a success. The capsule unfurled itself from its hinges and Kurt was released.

He looked extremely shaky and fragile. The serum was still inside his body, so his muscle growth had skyrocketed, but it wasn’t quite complete. He would be stronger, but not the optimum amount that the serum allowed.

Kurt looked up. “What the hell happened?”

Cooper’s eyes widened considerably. “We didn’t factor in such a reaction from the capsule in the planning stages, so we don’t know exactly what happened to you.”

“Well give me an estimate, damn it!”

“Kurt, take a breath. Your emotions are like livewires right now, anything can trigger them.”

Kurt caught a glimpse of himself in the nearby mirror. “My eyes…they’re _red_. Like a _blood red_. This was not part of the deal, Anderson!” Kurt squared up to the doctor, his aides rushing to his side.

“Kurt, please calm down. You’re still adjusting to the serum. You need more time.”

“Well this is all the time that your mediocre project afforded me. But some of it actually worked. I feel stronger, I feel…unlimited.” His hand wrapped around Cooper’s throat, holding him firmly so his legs did not touch the ground. “Listen here, Anderson. You fucked up my body somehow and that isn’t going to go unpunished. I feel different, not like myself. I wasn’t _supposed_ to change this way and this is _all_ your fault! And then all you have to say is _calm down_? No, screw that.”

Using his new strength, Kurt launched Cooper across the room so he slammed into the opposite wall, slumping to the floor, immobile.

Gasping, Kurt looked to his hands, the veins there rising up noticeably. “Oh, God. What am I _doing_? I…need to go!”

He dashed from the room, leaving Cooper and the rest of the scientists astounded by the abrupt personality change from the sweet, considerate Kurt they had become familiar with.

Kurt knew he wasn’t that naïve little boy anymore.

Something had snapped, perhaps literally, and he wasn’t sure he disliked it. He felt an awareness of himself like never before. He knew his limits and he was allowed to think for himself. He could handle anything that stood in his way with a smirk in place and the opportunity to do good.

If that’s even what he wanted to do.

Kurt had been wronged by the world more times than he could even count for things that he couldn’t control. His mother’s death due to the mere stupidity of one drunk driver, the uncontrollable bullying and discrimination that he had been subjected to over the years since he was six year old. That was over ten years and being pushed around and insulted for the way he was born. Being gay was something he had long since accepted, despite the opinions of his peers.

So why should have to sit back and let the world turn on the same ignorant axis as it always did? No, now there was no reason for him to let things play out without his stamp on the world being acknowledged.

He could be powerful, he could be _invincible._ There was something about the way that power worked that always intrigued him. Kurt had never really had it in his life, he had never really been the person to demand positions of control. He demanded _respect_ from everyone he encountered, but not many people were concerned enough to earn his, let alone show him any modicum of human decency.

Kurt felt a jolt of… _something_ in his mind, like an electrically-stimulated impulse had travelled to the wrong part of his brain, a forgotten part of his brain. A part that everyone had, but not everyone knew how to use. Vengeance, cruelty, apathy.

The wind hit his face sharply and he felt reinvigorated. It was almost like the transformation had given him a new, very different lease on life.

Kurt knew exactly what he had to do.

And now there was no turning back.


	3. You Should Be Scared Of Me

Kurt stormed through the hallway, flinging doors open forcefully as he did, leaving nothing but confusion and fear in his wake. He no longer cared about adversaries for he could now toss them aside and leave them however he wanted. If somebody got in his way, he could take them down. A part of his mind pushed against that very carnal urge, but he was too far gone. The rush he had felt when attacking Dr. Anderson was proof enough. Nothing could satisfy this, apart from pure violence. Hurting the people who hurt him for so long. He supposed it could be considered somewhat Machiavellian, but he didn’t really know if his endgame would be a compassionate one. For now, though, Kurt had scores to settle. Many of them.

And the first one came looking for him.

David Karofsky approached, no longer towering over him as much. The halt in the procedure meant that Kurt was only three inches taller, but it was a noticeable difference.

“What’s up, homo?”

Kurt rolled his eyes. “You’ve been insulting me for six years, David. Is _that_ the best you’ve got? Seriously? I’m actually bored.”

Karofsky snarled, not the reaction he was expecting. Kurt, senses heightened, spotted the slushy behind David’s back before he could even reveal it. Luckily, Kurt was quicker now. His reflexes worked far better than before, so he was able to snatch the frozen drink from the jock and smirk.

“Oh, you got this for _moi_? How thoughtful of you, David. Though you’re going to have to do more than that to win my heart. Like losing forty pounds and learning basic personal hygiene.” Kurt dipped his finger into the icy liquid and brought it to his finger, sucking it exaggeratedly. “Cherry, my favourite.”

Karofsky scoffed. “Like I ever want to touch you, fairy. You’re disgusting, thinking that everyone around here is just going to ignore what you are.”

Kurt had had enough. “Oh, when I’m done, _nobody_ will be able to ignore what I am. And that’s just the way I want it to be.” Even though Kurt was referring to something extremely different, it still worked just as well. “I’ve had enough of this.” Kurt wasted no time in bringing his foot up to Karofsky’s face, hard. Karofsky stumbled backwards, fury lighting his face.

Still clutching his face, Karofsky roared angrily. “You’re gonna pay for this, Hummel!”

Kurt pretended to wipe imaginary dirt from his pristine outfit and then brushed his hands together once Karofsky walked away. “Well, that takes care of that.”

Kurt didn’t have long to dwell on his accomplishment for the New Directions were standing not too far away, in a big group, noting the scene in front of them with mixed expressions. Santana, Puck, Finn, Mike, Tina and Quinn looked quite impressed with his display. The rest of them did not.

“Kurt, what the hell was that?” Artie frowned, wheeling himself over to the enhanced boy.

Kurt drew a breath, readying himself for what was about to happen. “Karofsky just got what should’ve been coming to him for years. You’re not seriously complaining about this are you?”

“No,” the boy replied, “but you’re not usually one for violence. Now all of a sudden you’re…oh my god.”

Kurt narrowed his eyes. “What?” he hissed at the other boy.

Artie wheeled a little closer, beckoning Kurt closer with a reluctant stare. “Something happened to you, didn’t it? Between Sam and myself, we’ve read more than enough comic books to recognise this.”

Kurt snorted. “Artie, this isn’t nearly quite as juvenile as that. The process was successful, as you can tell.”

“But you don’t look that much different. Not in the same degree as Steve Rogers, anyway.”

Kurt rolled his eyes. “Please. Can you picture me looking like an overgrown bodybuilder? They’re far too veiny for my taste. This was more of a psychological transformation. While I possess superhuman strength, speed and reflexes, my mind has become much more aware of my surroundings. Now if you don’t mind, I have some scores to settle.”

“Kurt,” Artie tried, but Kurt simply walked down the corridor, ignoring the curious stares and merely nodding at the rest of the Glee Club. While everyone frowned and rushed over to Artie for more information, Sam chased after Kurt, a knowing look in his green eyes.

“I’m happy for you,” was all he said.

Kurt stopped in his tracks. “Am I supposed to know what this means?”

Sam huffed. “Don’t play dumb, Kurt. You’re far too smart for that. Whatever happened to you in that machine, you clearly seem satisfied. I’m not going to question it, because you chewed Artie out quite sufficiently.”

That stumped Kurt. He wondered why Sam wasn’t making a big deal out of his new attitude. “You’re not wondering why I’m acting differently?”

Sam shrugged. “It’s not hard to guess.”

“Then enlighten me, Einstein.”

“It failed. At least partially, anyway,” Sam smirked. “You’ve gained minimum muscle mass, but just enough to reap the benefits of the process. After you left Glee on Friday, I looked into Dr. Anderson’s published research on the transformation he was planning. It was definitely flawed. Not that I’m an expert in kinesiology or whatever the proper technical term is, but I know enough to realise that he didn’t have all his bases covered.”

Kurt simply stared. “Please don’t tell me this is about some comic book.”

“Kurt, this is serious. The way you just took down Karofsky is something that never would have happened before this weekend. Your mentality is clearly steelier, which I didn’t think was possible. I’m just…I’m concerned. And before you snap, this is kind of based on comic books. What I’m trying to ask isn’t easy…well, I want to know if…” Sam trailed off, unsure if he should continue.

Kurt understood immediately. “You want to know if I’ve become the villain of the story instead of the hero I was supposed to be.”

Sam nodded shortly, suddenly vehemently interested in his shoelaces.

Kurt chuckled. “Oh, Sam. That’s cute that you think I was ever supposed to be the hero.”

“What do you mean?”

Kurt sighed, waving an arm around him. “Look at what had to happen for me to face down my obstacles. I had to be physically and mentally _altered._ Pre-serum Kurt used words and, while that was enough to placate the situation, it was never going to be useful as a permanent solution.

“I know what everyone expected of me, Sam. I was supposed to grit my teeth through high school because everyone struggles through high school. Then I was supposed to use my resilience and experience with bullying to mentor struggling gay youths through the pain they were experiencing, becoming a poster boy for the Trevor Project while failing to have a Broadway career besides a few ensemble parts nobody really cared about.”

Sam fidgeted slightly as he listened. Clearly he was guilty of the same expectations for Kurt. In his eyes, it would be a waste of such a wise mind that could do so much good for others. This new Kurt seemed wiser, even, but didn’t seem to care for helping people.

Kurt continued briskly. “I never wanted to play that part. I always knew I was different, but I didn’t want to be just another strong gay stereotype. Not to play the victim, but this world has wronged me too many times for me to forgive it for all the pain. Now I get to treat it how it’s treated me.”

“So you’re going to become the bully?” Sam choked out, clearly unimpressed.

“I prefer the term vigilante, actually. A lot of superhuman characters are vigilantes, aren’t they? The Avengers certainly are. They do bad things to bad people who deserve it. Are you telling me that Karofsky didn’t deserve a swift kick to the head?”

Sam couldn’t help but laugh at the question. Of _course_ he deserved it. Karofsky was nothing more than a prejudicial bully. “I’m not judging you, Kurt. Look, you’re my best friend. I will happily support any choices you make. I’m just worried about you losing yourself in the process.”

Kurt smiled his first genuine smile since leaving the lab. “That means a lot, Sam. Really, it does. I just think that I’m finally going to _find_ myself during all of this. You know, the role I was actually born to play. Besides, you can keep tabs on me and whatnot if you’d like. Make sure I don’t go over the top. I don’t want that either, despite what Artie thinks. I swear, one uncharacteristic movement and suddenly I’m Dexter Morgan.”

Sam burst into laughter. The old Kurt was still very much present, just lying dormant behind the mask of new Kurt. Sam didn’t know which one he preferred quite yet. Old Kurt was morally wise and placid until the situation warranted otherwise. Old Kurt got excited about Glee Club assignments. Old Kurt loved fluffy baby animals.

New Kurt was much like Old Kurt except much more carefree. He no longer seemed to take repercussions into account, though he recognised his potential. He was confident, sure of himself, something that Sam had been hoping he would become as time went on. Old Kurt was self-conscious, self-loathing and insecure about pretty much everything. His anxiety often ruled him and panic attacks weren’t uncommon in his daily life. New Kurt had a grasp on himself unlike anybody else Sam had ever seen.

“Glad to see you haven’t lost your penchant for good television.”

Kurt put a hand on Sam’s arm. “Thank you for your concern, Sammy. You want to come and see me kick some mouth breather ass?”

Sam smirked. “Gladly.”

* * *

Kurt shut the front door with accidental force and sighed as his father emerged from the living room.

“You okay, buddy?”

Kurt had avoided his father since the transition. He had fabricated a story about staying at Tina’s house to work on a Glee assignment for the weekend and had returned only after his father had left for work Monday morning. Now he was face to face with the very person Kurt was most dubious about facing. Burt would surely notice the physical change, even if it wasn’t as prominent as the mental one. Kurt was a great actor; he could hide himself from his father during the little interaction they shared.

He nodded nonchalantly. “Yeah. Sorry about that I misjudged the force.”

What a dumb thing to say.

Burt shrugged. “No worries. How was school?”

“Not bad, thank you. How was work?” Kurt forced. This was pretty much the most substantial conversation they shared.

Burt sighed. “Tedious.”

“Did you fire Wayne yet?”

“Not yet. He’s a good buddy, Kurt, I can’t just up and fire him one day.”

Kurt rolled his eyes, unable to stop the flow of irritation to his brain. “Yes you can. He’s an incompetent employee. You say “you don’t work hard enough, Wayne, you’re fired” and move on with your day.”

Burt frowned. “Harsh.”

“You own a business, Dad,” Kurt continued despite his plan to be subtle. “You need to put that before personal relationships. In the grand scheme of things, Wayne will get over you firing him. He’ll find another job. If business declines, you could lose it and most of our household income. Technically, you’re still recovering from your arrhythmia. Any other medical bills will be costly. You need to think of that before god damn Wayne who could be easily replaced by an unnaturally skilled _earthworm_!”

Burt gaped. “Jesus, Kurt. Tell me how you really feel!”

“Sorry.”

“This explains the call I got today, at least.”

Kurt rolled his eyes. “What do you mean?”

Burt ran a hand over his face, sitting down on his usual armchair. Kurt saw flashes of his younger self sitting on his dad’s lap, sharing an emotionally charged moment with the most important man in his life. No tears flew to his eyes, no lip trembled. Nothing. Nothing at all. “Mr Schuester called me while you were at school, Kurt.

“At first I thought you were hurt and freaked out. I was ready to kill anyone that hurt you. No, it turns out _you’ve_ been hurting _them_. Apparently, you kicked some guy in the face, gave another a bloody nose and broke a _rib_. All three of them are in the hospital, Kurt. Even if someone wrongs you, violence is never the answer! You seriously hurt them, buddy!”

Kurt narrowed his eyes. “Is that supposed to make me want to apologise for what I did? Those three boys have been tormenting and torturing me since the age of _six_. I have scars on my back from where I was cornered during Gym class and _threw_ against the lockers for being nothing more than myself. I have a scar on my stomach from the belts they whipped me with while I was tied to the flagpole in nothing but my underwear!” Kurt was red with anger now, at his dad, at the entire situation. A small part of him resented the new person he had become, but the rest of it was adamant that he was fulfilling his destiny.

“I don’t care how hurt they are. I don’t care how many bones of theirs I break. It will _never_ be enough to erase the damage they did to me. Physically, emotionally, it’s never fucking enough!” Kurt swirled around and smashed his fist into the wall, creating a sizable dent in the surface, enough to make Burt wince and glare at his son with a profound curiosity.

“Are you insane? What do you think you’re doing?”

Kurt took a moment to breathe and came out with the thing he thought he was least likely to say to his father. “I wasn’t at Tina’s house this weekend.”

Burt appraised the revelation with a steely gaze. “Why are you telling me this?”

“Because you need to hear it,” Kurt countered. “On Friday evening, I underwent a scientific procedure.”

Burt looked aghast. “And you didn’t tell me about it?”

“Let me put this the easy way…I’m sure you know the story of Steve Rogers.”

“So you’re saying that you’re a super soldier?”

Kurt nodded. “Not in the literal sense of the word, but my physical attributes are enhanced in the same way. Were I in the second world war, I would be a super soldier. The reasoning is all very subjective, but there we have it.”

“So that’s why you’re acting out?”

Kurt gaped. “Acting out? I’m not some petty teenage girl trying to extend her curfew so she can gossip about boys some more with her friends! I’m restoring some balance to this godforsaken world! I’m showing the people who have wronged me exactly how it feels to be treated like nothing, like they’re worthless. I’m doing good.

“This is not doing good, Kurt! This is hurting people for some revenge plot you’ve convinced yourself is necessary! Look, I’m a little peeved about this whole thing. I get why you didn’t tell me, but I don’t like this new you.”

Kurt shook his head in disbelief. “The day of mom’s funeral. She was buried and you leaned over to me and whispered ‘I’ll always love you, Kurt. Unconditionally, no matter what happens in your life, I’ll always support you and encourage you’. Where is that guy now? Now that things are different and not the way you want them…”

Burt clenched his jaw. “I didn’t say I didn’t love you! I do!”

Kurt nodded. “Right. You just said that you didn’t like me. Look, when I first realised what had happened, I didn’t like it either.

“But then I took a second to think about it. I thought about everything I wanted to achieve in this world and all the obstacles awaiting me. This can help me, _will_ help me and if I have a few personal scores to settle along the way then that’s understandable. Surely there’s somebody you want to teach a lesson or two. Actually, I _know_ there is. Tim Donovan. Ring any bells?”

“Don’t even mention his name.”

Kurt shrugged. “Exactly. I’m still rational, Dad.”

Burt frowned. “No, I don’t think you are. This isn’t thinking clearly, this is acting without thought. I can’t get behind this, Kurt. Surely there’s some way to reverse the change.”

Kurt looked at the man in disbelief. “You’re seriously not supporting me? Wow, thanks.”

“Kurt, you know I love you, I just…”

“What?” Kurt roared. “Don’t want me like this? You just want me to be the pale, fragile little child I used to be. The one who couldn’t think for himself. Someone you can mould. Well, I’m not him anymore! I’m my own person and I’m going to make my own decisions. If you can’t get behind that, then maybe I shouldn’t live here anymore.”

“Kurt, you can’t just _move out_! You’re still a kid, where are you going to live?”

Kurt shrugged. “No idea. But not having anywhere to go is a damn sight better than being somewhere toxic. And right now you’re being exactly that, Dad. Let me know if you change your mind.”

With that, ignoring Burt’s please, Kurt stormed from the room and the house, slamming the door behind him forcefully. He had picked up his bag on the way which, luckily, had a few necessities in there. His phone, laptop, chargers for both that he had taken to school. He had his wallet with just enough to sort him for the night. He had his credit card in there, too, which would help immensely.

Kurt pulled out his phone and cleared his throat as he dialled his most familiar numbers. After a few seconds, the phone was picked up on the other end.

“ _Hey, Kurt!”_

“Sam,” Kurt breathed. “

“ _Is everything okay?”_

Kurt scoffed. “Actually, no. Well, I don’t know. I just left home.”

_“Are you going out for dinner?”_

“No, Sam. I mean I _left_.”

 _“Jesus, Kurt,”_ Sam replied quickly. _“Do you need to crash at my place tonight?”_

Kurt was about to reply with a grateful ‘yes’ and a shadow flashed in front of his eyes. A figure materialised into the space before him and he blinked back his surprise. “Sam, I’m going to have to call you back.”

Sam’s cry of _“Wait, Kurt”_ was stifled by a low voice.

“You won’t be calling him back.”

Kurt raised an eyebrow. “And just _who_ in the world are _you_ to be telling me who I can call?”

The man smiled a crooked smile. “Hello, Kurt Hummel. My name is Loki.”


	4. Team

“Loki? As in _the_ Loki? God of mischief and all of that?”

Loki smirked. “So you’ve heard of me? Excellent. This will make things a lot easier in the grand scheme of things.”

Kurt frowned. “Were you _looking_ for me?”

“I’ve been following Dr. Anderson’s experiments for quite some time now, eager to see who he decided to choose. When I heard about _you_ , I’ll admit, I didn’t expect much from the process.”

“Gee, thanks,” Kurt drawled.

“But when I heard about the damage you caused to those who wronged you, I was gleeful.”

Kurt rolled his eyes dramatically. “Did you seriously just make a pun about glee club?”

“I couldn’t help myself. I’m a sucker for a good pun,” Loki replied with a smile.

“I can tell. Look, I don’t know exactly what mischief you think you’re going to cause in Lima, Ohio, but I really have to be getting somewhere.”

Loki tilted his head. “To Sam’s house? I told you, you’re not calling him back. You’re not going there, Kurt. You’re going to come with me.”

“And you’ve decided this unilaterally have you?” Kurt raised a fierce eyebrow.

“I could always make you, Kurt,” Loki pointed out. “But I don’t wish to do that. I want you to want to help me out. I think that our endgames are quite aligned at this moment in time. I am of the opinion that we have quite a lot to offer each other.”

Kurt chuckled sardonically. “Yeah, I’m a biologically altered superhuman and you’re a God. We’re quite the team.”

“Right,” Loki nodded seriously. “We are quite the team. We’ve both been unfairly treated by those around us. We both want justice. And we both possess the means to do something about it. The way you brutally attacked those mouth-breathing idiots at your school was admirable. And your abilities are in their fledgling stages, as is your philosophy. With time, you could be a truly valuable asset in this game of life.”

Kurt frowned. “Okay, you’re clearly on one and I think I’m just going to leave you to deal with your crisis. I don’t see how I can help you with whatever it is you’re after.”

“My brother has always been the one everybody loves yet he’s the less competent one. I am worthy of so much more, yet I never receive the recognition. I know you know how this feels. Observing you is one very pitiful task. Your life as a human was not very fulfilling.”

“You’re just full of compliments, aren’t you?” Kurt tutted.

“Do you not prefer the truth?”

“I know how unfulfilling my life has been, Loki. I don’t need you to tell me that. That’s why I’ve been working on making a change.”

“And you were doing a fine job. You’re just thinking _way_ too small.”

“As opposed to your grand plans to take over Earth?” Kurt laughed.

Loki looked him in the eyes, deadly serious.

“Oh, you’re not kidding,” Kurt realised. “Probably should’ve seen that coming, you know with the whole mischief thing and all.”

Loki continued to stare deeply into his eyes. “There’s something in you, Kurt Hummel. Something exciting that amuses me very much. I don’t know what it is quite yet, but I’m looking forward to finding out. And you could have everything you’ve ever wanted.”

Kurt raised his eyebrows. “I’m just dying to hear what you think that it, exactly.”

Loki smirked. “Power.”

Almost as if a wind had literally passed through them, Kurt shivered.

“Enticing, isn’t it? The idea that you could stop being the powerless human you were before the serum.”

“What I want to know is how long you’ve been monitoring me. I hadn’t been signed up for the program for that long, yet you seem to know more things about me than you should.”

Loki shrugged. “Some things simply work themselves out with some easy deduction. I find that most humans are typical and very easy to read. You know one of them, you know most of them. You were no exception, Kurt Hummel. Although you do have at least a modicum of complexity, which is more than I credit your classmates with.”

“You’ve been watching my friends too?” Kurt didn’t know why he was so surprised. It was typical behaviour from those consumed by power who wanted somebody to control the Universe with. It had been the same thing Rachel had done when she was recruiting for Glee. Although they were definitely two different scales, Kurt saw similarities between Rachel and Loki. And how frightening was _that_ particular piece of information?

“Oh, yes. In order to get a better sense of you, I had to familiarize myself with those you chose to spend your time around. They are all the most archetypal human beings I’ve ever witnessed. And sufficiently less worth my time than you. Which led me to the question of why you surrounded yourself with them.

“It wasn’t too difficult to answer. They were your only option.”

Kurt nodded, supposing that much was true. “I didn’t exactly have a fan club at McKinley.”

Loki smiled wryly. “Notice that you’re already talking in the past tense.”

Kurt rolled his eyes. “A slip of the tongue.”

“No, Kurt. No it isn’t. You know that you are destined for much more than a humdrum high school can ever offer you. More than any humans can ever offer you. If you come with me, I could show you things your tiny human mind has never even dreamt of.”

Kurt was shocked. “So now I have a choice? You said ‘if’.”

Loki smirked. “Slip of the tongue. Think about it, I can’t say it any other way, all of the power you’ve craved throughout your life, it could be yours. All of those times you’ve felt powerless and vulnerable, you could be those solutions. You could be _everything_.”

“You drive a hard bargain. But could I just have a moment alone to think about it?”

“You mean so you can text Sam? Ugh, fine. Text him, it’s not like you’re going to need him once we get started. You’ll have everything you’ve ever needed.”

Kurt started to type his text. _When I don’t show up to school, just know that everything’s fine. Doing some introspective exploring. Cover for me? I owe you several thousand favours for this. Thank you, Sam. I’ll see you soon._

“Okay, I’m done. And I’ve decided to follow you. What are we going to do?”

“Here’s what’s going to happen. You are going to listen to every word I say and you’re going to do whatever I say, understand? You might have superhuman strengths, but I’ve been doing this whole destruction thing for a lot longer than you have and with bigger fish than just Dave Karofsky.”

Kurt nodded. “Do what you say. Anything else?”

Loki shrugged. “Have fun.”

Kurt gaped. “You’re going to let me have fun?”

“No, Kurt, you’re not understanding. You’re going to create the fun for _yourself_. You’re going to tap into that side of you that yearns for control and mayhem. You’re going to _unleash_ it. And you’re going to enjoy it.”

“And what if I don’t?”

“God, you’re annoying. Listen to me. You are built for this. You will achieve your destiny. And I’m going to help you do it. Now that’s enough chatter for right now, we have movements to make. I’m going to check one last time, Kurt Hummel.

“Are you in?”

Kurt swallowed. This meant giving up everything. He easily recognized this answer for what it was. A point of no return.

If he said no, he returned to his banalities, to everything he had longed to grow out of, everything he wanted to leave behind. He wanted this, he did, but he wasn’t going to pretend like there was nothing left for him there. Carole and Finn were slowly acclimating themselves to the Hummel lifestyle and his bond with Sam was morphing into something he rather quite liked. Would he want to give all of that up just to explore his wild side? He could do that without some god controlling his every decision, couldn’t he? His first day at school and he’d badly injured three people, been scolded by pretty much everybody and run away from home after not getting his dad’s support. Kurt didn’t know what good going back would do.

If he said yes, it was stepping into who he was truly supposed to be, the person destiny had made him and why shouldn’t he accept a little help to fully grow into himself? And Loki certainly seemed to know what he was doing. And he could help Kurt truly master his own emotions, his strength. Something that Kurt had longed to do for such a long time now. He had always been shaped and morphed by others, but now he had the chance to change that. He could become his own man, do some real damage to those who would wrong him. And maybe, yeah, have a little fun along the way. The answer was obvious.

“I’m in.”


End file.
